The Bridge Between Two Worlds
by 1000 Words To Be Said
Summary: "Tyki?" Confusion was plain in Ricki's eyes as she gazed at her stand-in brother with large, doe-like chocolate orbs. What was he doing? Why… Why was he standing over Allen's broken body? AllenxOC or LavixOC


**A/N:** _Helloooo there! Welcome to The Bridge Between Two Worlds! I have fallen head over heals for -man, and I've been dieing to write a story for it (especially one involving Tyki somehow~ Love that dude, even if he does have a scary dark side). Whether I'll continue this or not is debatable because I'm not completely caught up with the manga (only on chapter 139, I think), so I might wait until I've caught up to continue anymore with it. Don't know yet, but I'll see where this little muse takes me!_

_And if anyone from my other fics is here checking this out, I apologize for not updating for such a long time! School and a case of writer's block has been keeping me from my writing, but I'm going to try my hardest to get an update out soon!_

_Disclaimer: I in no way own -man or anything related to it other than my own characters and plots._

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"Tyyyyyykiiiiiii!"

"Oof!"

A blur of light blonde zigzagged between several people and launched itself into the Noah, knocking him down in the process. The figure clung onto him, burying a young face into his shoulder, and jabbering on and on so quickly that Tyki couldn't make out what was being said. Eye twitching out of annoyance, he managed to pry the person away from his frame and get a good look at just who it was that had the audacity to tackle him. Happy, bright chocolate orbs stared down at him while pale pink lips continued to move at the speed of light, the words slurring together into incoherent gibberish.

"Ricki?"

"I can't believe you're finally back, Tyki! I've missed you so, so, so, so, so, _so much!_"

Ricki latched herself against the long-haired man once more, arms wrapped around his neck and legs wrapped around his torso. Tyki let out a laugh, squirming in the embrace that he returned nonetheless.

"Ricki, could you not hold on so tightly? It's kind of hard to breathe…"

"Ah, sorry!" The blonde loosened her grip. "Better?"

"Yeah, but,"

"But what?" She pulled herself up to look down at Tyki's bespectacled face.

"People are beginning to stare."

Ricki blinked a few times, a blank look on her face as if the piece of information was some intricate code she had to solve. _Staring? Why would they- Oh!_ A light pink appeared on her cheeks and the girl quickly stood up, looking away abashedly. The Noah of Pleasure chuckled at her and stood, towering over her by about a foot. He patted the sixteen-year-old's head and smiled.

"I didn't say that to make you get up."

Ricki slightly scowled. "Liar. Why else would you point out people were staring?"

"Perhaps to point out their jealousy caused by a beautiful young girl."

Her blush deepened, but she grinned, punching Tyki's shoulder. "Che, now you're just trying to butter me up so that I don't get mad at you for being gone for so long."

"You've certainly gotten smarter since the last time I saw you," His smile then turned into a mischievous grin. "But not much taller."

"Tyki!"

~:)~

"So, how long are you gonna stay this time?"

Ricki swung her boot-clad legs back forth from where they hung off of the side of the balcony that was attached to her room. She had brought Tyki over to her house to catch up on things, though her father was away at his job and he always told her not to put herself in a situation where she was alone with the traveling man. Her father had told her several times that Tyki gave him a weird feeling, but Ricki had dismissed such statements long ago; Tyki was her friend, and he had proven himself countless times to her that he was a good person, albeit a tad mischievous. The young French girl figured it was only her father being paranoid and overly protective of her, as usual.

"A few days, at least. Maybe more, maybe less."

A chocolate orb twitched. "Meaning you don't really know?"

"Well," Tyki grinned as he leaned against the railing, a cigarette hanging from his lips. "Yeah."

"Don't say that so nonchalantly, you jerk! It's been four years, and I've missed you so much…"

Though his eyes were concealed by his glasses, the way Tyki's mouth slacked showed his surprise.

Ricki turned her head away, gazing down at the ground below and clutching the wooden edges of the balcony. "It's been too long for you to keep to your old habits. It's always been like this, you not knowing when you have to go, and then you end up leaving the day after you arrive…"

"Ricki,"

She pulled her legs up to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. "I know it's selfish of me, especially because you have a good reason to leave, but you're my stand-in older brother. It's hard to let you leave and then not see you for a long time."

Tyki sighed, sitting down beside the blonde, one of the poles that supported the railing standing between his legs as he did so. He laid down with his arms behind his head and let out a little puff of air, a small smile appearing on his face. Ricki turned her face so that she could see what he was doing and gazed at his features in curiosity. _What's he thinking? Even if he's smiling, he still looks tired, worn even. Did something happen while he was gone?_

"It's hard for me, too, you know. I don't like having to be away for such long periods of time, but the jobs that are given to me…" He sighed. "I have to do them. If I don't, then my family will suffer, and I can't let that happen. You understand, don't you?"

"Yeah, of course I do. It doesn't make it any easier, though," Ricki pouted slightly before smiling. "Hey, I'm older now, so could I come with you? Before you said I was too young, but I'm good now, right?"

"Well…"

"And there's no way I'd be in any danger, either!"

Tyki raised an eyebrow at her. "How can you guarantee that, kid? Last time I was around, I had to chase off the village bullies. Twice."

The same eye twitched, but Ricki carried on regardless. "Because now I have something I didn't back then! I still don't know how it happened exactly, but look at my hands,"

She showed the Noah her hands, and he saw upon further inspection that what he had assumed were gloves, weren't gloves at all. It appeared that the skin had turned black…

Tyki sat up, looking closely at Ricki's hands. The smooth, black skin engulfed her hands, stopping at the ends of her wrists, and two green crosses laid on the palms of her hands as if they were embedded into her skin. The skin had a dull shine to it, too, almost as if…

He flicked her hand and was met by a small _clang_ resonating in the air.

_Huh. Metallic. _The Portuguese man's eyebrows shot up for a second before furrowing._ This has to be Innocence. I thought I felt something off about Ricki today… _He mentally cursed both his and Ricki's luck and fought back the urge to reveal everything about himself to the girl. He wanted to tell her everything, try to convince her to let him destroy her new Innocence, but he couldn't do that. She wouldn't understand if he suddenly sprung everything on her, and what kind of brother would he be if he burdened her with such information the same day he came back? He wouldn't tell Ricki today, but he would soon.

He couldn't let her become his enemy.

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A/N: Thanks for reading and if it isn't too much trouble, I would greatly appreciate a review! ^_^ Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I hope to see you reading next time! Adieu~!

~1000WTBS


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